Means for and method of effecting gaseous mixtures



Dec. 14, 19375 I BARCLAY v ZAGZAZ MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF EFFECTING GASEOUS MIXTURES Filed April 17, 1935 EXHRUST a T0 PUMP L Patented Dec, 14, 1937' MEANS FOR- AEND METHOD OF IEFFECTHNG Application April 17, 1935, Serial No. 16,773

7 Claims.

9 My invention relates in general to gaseous mixtures and has more particular reference to the method of and apparatus for producing a mixture "of gases, including a relatively light gas and a 5 relatively heavier gas, in desired proportions, the invention including a means for and method of introducing the predetermined mixture of gases into an envelope to be loaded, as for example the envelope of a gaseous conduction device; and while my present invention has particular utility in the fabrication of gaseous conduction devices, it is not necessarily so restricted.

Gaseous conduction devices have a characteristic tendency to develop inequalities in operating temperature in localized areas in the conduction path. Where mercury'vapor is utilized as a conduction medium in devices of the character mentioned, the vapor tends'to accumulate and condense in the relatively colder portions. of the con- ,duction path; This'tendency increases as the external temperature falls, and results in a spotty appearance cIearIy ap'parent in mercury vapor f lamps in outdoor operation in cold weather; I have discovered-that this unfavorablelamp conwithin a ten per cent temperature variation throughout its gaseous conduction path. '1 propose to accomplish the necessary "temperature regulation by incorporating, with the condensible -"-''of 'which has a relativelyhigh resistance to elecag a m n ria iaa to, le e? discharge th'anany of'thn'oble gases, and consequently is well suited for temperature regulating purposes.

"If,however,'an'excess' 'olume'of'heliumis used 5 "thedischarge device; excessive lhe'ating may reult in localized portlons of lthe 'ndrelativel'y' cold spots maythuS, develop, as for 1e r b dischar an C M at. ,I'desire, therefore, the mixture only enoughv helium to conduction medium, a gas or gases, at least one tricaldischarge, even when ionized, 'so that heat condensation of; the mercury in exampleat' thecath'ode of, thedevice, permitting condensationbf the mercury. To overcoir e this 7 I difliculty ,I may temper the heating effect ofthe ff oreofth'eother noble ere w h ha e a (011. Tid -122) pering the heating efiect of the medium employed by adding in the mixture a suitable quantity of crypton, neon or argon. In certain instances I may even eliminate the use of helium entirely and rely uponthe heating effect provided by crypton alone.

Helium is relatively light in weight and difficulty may be encountered in maintaining de- =sired gaseous mixtures of helium and other heavier gases while loading the'same in the 10 envelopes of discharge devices. Mixtures of gases of unlike weight tend to stratify and separate in layers comprising the components of the mixture. This may occur in a bomb or receptacle from which the gaseous mixture is delivered into an 5 envelope to be filled, even though the component gases are previously in proper proportions in the bomb, thus making it diflicult to maintain the mixture in desired proportions in filling the envelope of the device. An important object of 20 mypresentinvention, therefore, is to provide means for producing and loading a desired mixture ofgases, including relatively light and relatively heavy gases, into a sealed-envelope, such dition' may be obviated by maintaining the la'mp v Another important object of the invention is as the envelope of a discharge device.

to provide an improved method for loading a desired mixture of'relatively light and relatively heavy gaseous components into a sealed envelope. Another important object resides'in subjecting 36 ag'aseous mixture to the action of electrical impulses 'for v the purpose of exciting the gaseous mixture in order to' prevent stratification or separation of the mixture'i'nto its component gases. Another important object is. to provide a mixing and loadingmanifoldha'ving attached bombs,

- each containing predetermined volume of a component of themixt ur to" be produced, ,in-

" eluding mear isj1flofr rupturing theiseveral 'bombsfto permit the 'contentslthereofj to'fenter themanifold and commingletherein f geese and numerous other important objects,

v advantages, andfinherentfunctions of the invennduction path tion will be apparent from the following description', "which; taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred, embodiment of the inyention.- i

Referring tothe drawing: I n

he single figure of the-drawing comprises a 5D diagrammatic illustration of apparatus for'loading an envelopepsuch as that of a discharge de- Hv'i'ce with a mixture of a relatively light gas, such 'as'helium, and awheaviergas, in definite desired To illustrate my invention, I have shown on the drawing a gas mixing and loading device embodying my present invention, the device being shown in position to deliver a gaseous mixture to a receiver to be filled. Although my present in- .vention is not necessarily restricted to the loading of gaseous mixtures in the envelopes of discharge devices, it is however particularly well adapted to such purpose, and I have therefore shown the mixing and loading device in combination with a discharge device ll comprising an elongated tubular envelope configurated to a desired shape and sealed at its opposed ends to form electrode receptacles l3 containing electrodes l5 of any desired construction. At least one of these electrodes l5 may comprise a hot cathode, that is to say, an electrode adapted to function as a permanent, separately excitedcathode target,.the other electrode, in such case, comprising an anode so that the lamp may be operated as a direct current device with discharge currents flowing from the anode to the cathode target along the line of the intermediate discharge path defined by the envelope II. The electrodes, however, may be of any desired form and the device may, of course, be operated as an alternating current conductio element.

In order to condition such a device for operation, it is necessary first to evacuate the envelope and cleanse the same of impurities by bombardment, that is to say, by applying a sufficiently high potential between the electrodes to cause discharge through the evacuated envelope between the electrodes. Asbombardment continues, im-

purities are vaporized and drawn off through an exhaust connection l'l', by which the envelope is connected with a suitable exhaust pump (not shown). The connection I! is preferably provided with a Valve l9 and suitable means, indicated generally at 2|, is or may be provided to permit the introduction of a globule of mercury into the connection I 5 and thence into the envelope ll after bombardment is'completed. As heretofore mentioned, I provide means for loading the envelope also with a gas or gases adapted to develop a desired amount of heat in response at a point intermediate the valve l9 and the exhaust pump. If desired, an additional valve 20 may also be employed in the exhaust connection between the point 21 and the pump. Means, including a bomb 29, containing gas to be loaded into the envelope I I, is sealed to the conduit 23, so that, by exhausting the envelope II and then closing the valve 29 and opening the valves l9 and 25, gas from the bomb may be admitted into the envelope II.

It is my purpose, however, to provide for the introduction of a mixture of gases and, to this end, the gas conduit 23 opens laterally into a manifold conduit 3|, containing a ball 33 of relatively heavy material, such as steel, said ball being freely movable longitudinally of the manifold 3|. The bomb 29 is sealed, as at 35, on one end of the manifold 3| with a frangible bomb portion 31 exposed in the interior of the manifold in position to be broken upon impact by the ball 33. A bomb 39, containing another of the gases to be introduced to the envelope, is sealed as at 4| at the opposite end of the manifold with a frangible portion 43 of said bomb exposed in the manifold in position to be broken upon impact bythe ball 33. It will be noted that the bomb 29 is somewhat smaller than the bomb 39. The relative size of the bombs corresponds with the proportions of the gases to be mixed and introduced into the envelope ll. helium and crypton is to be introduced, I may wish to loada mixture comprising one part helium to nine parts crypton so that the bomb 39 will contain say cubic centimeters of crypton while the bomb 29 will contain 13.88 cubic centimeters of helium.

The manifold, with attached bombs and valved conduit 23, is or may be attached to the line II during bombardment, which takes place with the valves I9 and 20 open. The valve 25, however, will remain closed. After bombardment is completed, the valve I9 may be closed and the valve 25 opened in order to connect the manifold assembly to the exhaust pump in order to permit the manifold to be evacuated to the bomb sealsjl'l and 43. After the manifold has been exhausted in this fashion, the valve 25 is closed and the seal at 21 broken to remove the exhausted manifold assembly from the line. By tipping the assembly to alternately impact the ball 33 upon the seals 3'! and 43, said seals may be broken to permit thegas to escape from the bombs 29 and 39 and enter the manifold, to the closed valve 25. After breakage of the seals, the manifolds should be maintained in a substantially horizontal position to prevent stratification of the gases.

The manifold assembly may then be re-sealed to the line I! at 21 and the line exhausted from the pump to the closed valves [9 and 25, after which the valve 20 may be closedand valves 19 and 25 opened to permit the gases to be drawn from the manifold into the exhausted envelope l I. Since the bombs 29 and 39 are in horizontal position and contain gasin the desired proportion, the gases will be drawn from both bombs and will enter the envelope in the desired proportions.

If desired, the manifold may be exhausted and removed from the lines and the bomb seals broken and the manifold replaced ready to load gas before bombardment is accomplished, in which case the mixed gases may be loaded immediately bombardment is completed. Alternately the conditioning of the loading manifold may be carried on contemporaneously with bombardment, providing an additional valve 39 is arranged between the'manifold seal point 21 and the exhaust connection I1.

I find it influence o a spark coil 45 adapted to generate high frequency impulses in order thus to excite the gas in the bombs. I find that such excitation esirable to place the bombs under the- For example, where a mixture of of the gases seems to prevent stratification of the same in the manifold and facilitates the loading operation.

After the envelope II has been loaded with mixed gases and a predetermined quantity of envelope H by passing discharges in the device between the electrodes l5 for a period of time, during which the envelope is maintained at re duced pressure by keeping the valves l9 and 20 open during the curing operation When curing is complete, the valve 19 may be closed and the envelope disconnected from. the connection I! as of its attendant advantages will be understood 20 from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts of the illustrated apparatus without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being merely for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The method of mixing gases of unequal weights in predetermined proportions, which consists in mingling predetermined quantities of the gases to be mixed and subjecting them to the effects of high frequency excitation to induce ionic activity to prevent stratificationof the mixed gases.

2. The method of loading gases of unequal weight into asealed envelope, which consists in mixing the gases in desired proportions and then loading the same in the envelope while exciting the gases to ionic activity to prevent separation and stratification of the same before the same are introduced'into the envelope.

3. Apparatus for mixing gasesv of unequal weightcomprising a. mixing manifold, sealed gas bombs connected to said manifold and having each a frangible portion exposed in said manifold, said bombs containing each a gas to be mixed in the manifold, common means for rupturing both of the frangible bomb portions exposed in the manifold whereby to liberate the gases to the manifold.

4. Apparatus for mixing gases of unequal weight comprising a mixing manifold, sealed gas bombs cbnnected to said manifold and having each a frangible portion exposed in said manifold, said bombs containing each a gas to be mixed in the manifold, means for rupturing the frangible bomb portions exposed in the manifold comprising an element freely shiftable in the manifold and adapted to be guided thereby to impact upon the frangible bomb portions.

5. Apparatus for mixing gases of unequal weight comprising a mixing manifold, sealed gas bombs connected to said manifold and having each a frangible portion exposed in said manifold, said bombs containing each a gas to be mixed in the manifold, means for rupturing the frangible bomb portions'exposed in the manifold whereby to liberate the gases to the manifold,

and means to excite the gases to ionic activity in said manifold.

6. Apparatus for mixing gases ,of unequal weight comprising a. mixing manifold, sealed gas bombs connected to said manifold and having each agfrangible' portion exposed in said manifold, said bombs containing each a gas to be mixed in the manifold, common means for rupturing both of the frangible bomb portions exposed in the manifold whereby to liberate the gases to the manifold, and means forming a valved outlet from said manifold whereby mixed gases may be delivered from the manifold.

. 7. Apparatus for mixing gases of unequal weight comprising a. mixing manifold, sealed gas bombs connected to said manifold and having each a frangible portion exposed in said manifold, said bombs containing each a gas to be mixed in the manifold, means for rupturing the frangible bomb portions exposed in the manifold comprising a ball freely shiftable in the manifold and adapted to be guided thereby to impact upon the frangible bomb portions.

ROBERT E. BARCLAY. 

